Scientists on the NOAA Ship Hi'ialakai have embarked on a 1-month expedition to assess the coral reef ecosystems of the
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The research cruise is a project of the
NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP)
under the direction of the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC).

The standard scientific protocol of CRED's Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program will be applied during the expedition. Scuba divers
on the Hi'ialakai will conduct
rapid ecological assessments
of reef fish, corals, other invertebrates, and algae in NWHI reef habitats. They will also carry out towed-diver surveys of fish and
benthic communities and collect a suite of oceanographic data.

Coral reef at French Frigate Shoals in NWHI

The Hi'ialakai cruise supports the mapping and monitoring components of the CRCP Coral Reef Ecosystem Integrated Observing
System in the Pacific. Data collected during the surveys are a vital part of long-term biological and oceanographic monitoring of the
coral reef ecosystems of the Hawaiian Archipelago, including waters of the Monument and the main Hawaiian Islands. They will add to
information gathered during earlier baseline assessments, monitoring surveys, and mapping operations conducted annually from 2000-2007.
In particular, data on the abundance and spatial distributions of reef fish, invertebrates, corals, and algae will help scientists
evaluate changes in the health and condition of the remote NWHI coral reef ecosystems. Long-term scientific monitoring of ecosystem
status and trends enables Federal and State managers to better understand the marine resources under their jurisdictions.